"Death is a novelty."
Who are you?
~
Kaleb grasped my wrist before I could follow Azriel, "you don't go alone."
I snarled in his face, "you don't give me orders."
"Acacia," Feyre called, catching my attention briefly as I tried yanking my grip from my mate's, to no avail. "Perhaps it would be best if we came. This female might have intel on your brother, or it might be a trap. Outside of Velaris, you aren't protected the same."
I nodded slightly, "alright. But stay hidden until we figure out what this female wants."
"I'll winnow you-" Kaleb began but I cut him off with a raised hand.
"I'll go with Azriel."
Kaleb growled at that, his own wings flaring slightly as his face contorted into something I'd never seen before. His blue eyes seemed to swirl and darkness curled around his hair strands, "I hope you know what you're doing, Acacia."
I leaned my face towards his, my own front lip pulled back to reveal my pointed canines, "I hope you know that I've been trained to fight, Kaleb."
He let go of my wrist at that, nodding his head towards Azriel in some silent command to protect me. I huffed, but shared a look with the others in the room or farewell.
~
Winnowing just outside of Velaris's wards, I palmed a blade Cassian gave me before my departure, sticking close to Azriel I watched as he scanned the surrounding forest, nostrils flaring.
Leaves crunched and as if instinctively, Azriel unsheathed his own sword, Truth-Teller. I took in the scent that drifted towards me, eyebrows curling together in confusion. Something eerily familiar was about this scent, something-
"Acacia."
My blade clattered from my hand.
My heart paused it's anticipating pounding. Everything seemed to freeze.
That voice.
Turning towards it, I spotted the female who's voice I had indeed heard. Her once dull hair is full of golden life, her once face is now full and tinted with healthy colour.
Her eyes-
Yes, those blue eyes of the female who I barely knew, yet knew more than most.
Time stopped, something in my gut seemed to drop.
She smiled, a smile I'd never seen before, yet seen so many times in my dreams. White canines, full lips, a dazzling smile so like my own.
I'd never seen her stood up, never knew her height.
"Who-" I choked on my own words, not realising tears had begun to spring free. "Who are you?"
She glanced towards Azriel, scanning him, not the slightest shocked at his Illyrian wings, as if she'd seen such wings before.
"You know who I am, Acacia."
The way she said my name was like a calling into open, warm arms. It sounded right.
I couldn't breathe, wouldn't believe-
"A trick-" I claimed weakly, looking desperately at Azriel who seemed to be making the connection between mine and this female's scents. "It's- not real."
"I'm very real," tears flowed down her own flush cheeks, "and so are you."
"Mom." The word felt foreign on my tongue, but it was her.
The female I watched die, the female who was killed by her own son, the female who birthed and nurtured me before I could remember. Every part of her was so familiar yet unfamiliar.
A flash of silver and I watched as a blade was presented at her throat, Cassian and Mor appearing from thin air, the former's sword ready to slit this new female's throat if necessary.
"Acacia's mother is dead." Rhysand's voice filtered in as he stepped into the forest clearing; Feyre at his side and Amren and Kaleb not far behind.
The female didn't even flinch, as if she expected this, or maybe it was because of the dagger that she'd suddenly poised at Cassian's own throat.
"Do not speak as if you know, High Lord," she said, giving a warning look to Cassian, who met it with a grin.
"Stop!" I screamed out, begging Cassian to lower his sword with a desperate look of my own.
He did so slowly, stepping away from the female's upraised blade, her allowing him to do so.
Nothing seemed real, and as if on instinct I turned to Kaleb, who looked deathly pale as he looked between me and the female.
"Who- why-" I stuttered, unable to even form words as I stumbled back, Azriel grabbing my should as if to keep me upraised.
"So, how are you alive?" Mor questioned, stepping forward with her red dress swinging around her.
"I never died." She replied, straightening her back as she turned back towards me. "The venom your brother pumped into me didn't kill me, it slowed my heart to one beat per minute and I sipped into w comatose state."
I began breathing quickly, "but- we buried you-"
"I know you did." She smiled slightly, "it took me a good while to dig myself out."
Anger swelled up inside me, "then why didn't you come back?"
"Because I went in search of your brother." She admitted, eyes showing sadness. "If anybody knew I was alive, he'd know I'd go and look for him. I know the guilt has eaten him alive, and it's likely turned him mad. I tried finding him once when his scent led me here, to The Night Court. I spotted you from far away, and all I could do was cry. I tried to search your mind for any hint of where Alakai would be, but you might remember that day, as its the day Alakai pushed you into The Sidra. I managed to slip into your mind, but you didn't remember having a brother, and all you knew of Alakai was that he was a stranger."
"How have you never been able to find him?" Rhysand asked, almost unbelieving of her story.
"He knew somebody was following him. And he began to get sneaky and secretive. His covered his tracks so well, and he began trying to hide his scent." She looked troubled, biting on her plump lips. "I found out what he'd done to the Earth. And I knew it was time for me to reveal myself."
"You've been alive all this time. And you didn't think to come back. When my father has been drowning in a pit of sorrow over you!" I suddenly shouted, shoving Azreil's grip off of my shoulder as I stormed forward.
"You don't understand. Alakai couldn't know I was alive-" she tried to explain, tears pooling at her eyes.
"Why couldn't I know? Why couldn't my father know? So many secrets have been kept from me, and now you're trying to tell me you've been alive all this time!" I grabbed her hand, something like familiarity washing over me. "You're selfish."
"Acacia- please- I can help you- let me-" Her tears were streaming, and her bottom lip was wobbling like a child. "I've realised it wasn't the way I should've gone. I should've-"
"I've always wondered what you was like. What sort of female you was." I whispered, looking down at her joined hands as she squeezed mine in desperation. "How did you manage to get over the venom?"
"It wore off." She spoke helplessly, "I theorise it's due to my link to Alakai, how I'm his mother. Some Fae are born with a venom immunity, however it stills effects them sometimes."
I shook my head, finally letting go of her hand. Even as she reached for me, I moved backwards, nearly bashing into Cassian.
"I don't know how to feel." I muttered, blinking past tears that threatened to fall as my body began getting over the shock of who was in front of me.
"Take your time, Acacia." Feyre's voice was suddenly at my side, and as I looked up, I saw the pain in her eyes. She was faced with her former fiancé's 'dead' lover.
"We should talk, High Lady." Kaia claimed, staring at Feyre with a glimmering in her blue eyes.
Feyre nodded, glancing back at Rhysand, whom was watching this new female very closely. "Indeed."
A/N: OH SHIT IM SORRY BUT THIS IS THE BIGGEST PLOT TWIST IVE EVER DONE😂
This chapter was VERY quickly written whilst I was on 3 cups of coffee and speaking to my best friend as she went into labour. So I apologise it seems really rushed or unedited! I may come back and edit it soon, but I just wanted to upload it as I haven't released a chapter in ages!